Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World

Wadh.Minasian 248 (The Ferdowsi Library, Wadham College, University of Oxford)

Oriental Manuscripts Minasian Collection

Collection 27

A collection of three books on Astronomy

Physical Description

Extent: 64 ff.

Binding

Maroon leather, 18 × 23 cm, front + back cover, leather + pasteboard

Decorated tooled edges

Condition

Original binding has been damaged and replaced with a new, modern case binding.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Donated to The Ferdowsi Library by Dr Caro Minasian in 1972.

1) Persian Catalogue Sequence Number 874

Contents

Summary of Contents: A treatise on understanding calendars which was written by Khātūn'ābādī upon his friends' request while on a pilgrimage to Karbalā, presented in an introduction and ten chapters, and completed late in Rabīʿ al-avval 1126 AH. Āqā Buzurg has pointed out to this treatise in Al-Zarīʿah (21/250), having written that the author has two works on this topic of which the second in Persian has eight chapters selected from the same work. However, in this treatise Khātūn'ābādī refers to his other books where he has dealt with this topic in more details, hence implying he has other, more comprehensive works on this topic apart from this treatise.
ff. 1a-15a
Language(s): Persian

Astronomy

Incipit: بسمله، حمدله، و بعد چنین گوید اقل عبادالله احمد بن محمد مهدی الشریف الخاتون آبادی این مختصریست مفید در معرفت تقویم مشتمل بر هشت فصل…
Explicit: … کسوف و خسوف که در هر ماهی روی دهد در کنار حاشیهٔ آن نویسند والله اعلم بالصواب بحق النبی المستطاب والسلام.
Colophon: قد فرغ من تسوید هذاه الرساله… حاجی سید حسین خلف… حاجی میر مهدی… فی حین علی البال و اضطراب الاحوال و کان ذلک فی ثانی عشرین من صفر المظفر بعد الف و ماتان ثانی و ثلثون… من سنه ۱۲۳۲ هر که خواند دعا طمع دارم…

References

Sequence Number in the Persian Catalogue:

  • FAW 874

Similar Copies in Other Libraries:

  • MNL 29/586
  • UTL 1/63

Similar Copies listed in Other Catalogues:

  • ALZ 21/250
  • DEN 10/1026,1027

On the Web:

Physical Description

Support: Western paper (watermark), blue, thick, one size. Water damage on the edges of some papers.
Dimensions (leaf): 22 × 16 cm.
Dimensions (written): 13.5 × 9.5 cm.

Collation

ff. 1a-15a

Layout

18 lines per page

Hand(s)

Shikastah Nastaʿaliq, one hand, regular. Sayyid Ḥusayn bin Mīr Mahdī سید حسین بن میرمهدی

Decoration

Rubricated titles.

Additions: Scribe's note in 1232 AH on f. 1a.

History

Origin: Unknown place of origin; 1232 AH; 1817 CE

2) Persian Catalogue Sequence Number 17

Contents

Summary of Contents: Ikhtīyārāt-i ayyām is a general title for treatises outlining auspiciousness and inauspiciousness of days, weeks, New Year Day, months, hours and other essentials, extracted from relaiable sources. The most importnt sources available under the title of Ikhtīyārāt belong to ʿAllāmah Majlisī and Mullā Ḥusayn Kashifī. The authors of this copy and the manuscript No. 377 (FAW 18) are, however, both unknown, and the copies are also different to the works of Majlisī and Kashifī.
ff. 17b-18a
Language(s): Persian

Astronomy

Incipit: مطلب اول در اختیارات. اول بگرمابه شدن باید که قمر بیکی از خانهای مریخ و مشتری بود…
Explicit: … باید قمر اندر هبوط و زحل ساقط و … و ضعیف و منحوس باشد والله العالم بحقایق الامور.

References

Sequence Number in the Persian Catalogue:

  • FAW 17

Physical Description

Support: Western paper (watermark), blue, thick, one size. Water damage on the edges of some papers.
Dimensions (leaf): 22 × 17.5 cm.

Collation

ff. 17b-18a

Layout

The copy is scribed in a diagonal format, hence varying counts and sizes of lines.

Hand(s)

Shikastah Nastaʿaliq, one hand.

Decoration

Rubricated titles.

History

Origin: Unknown place of origin; 12th Century AH; 18th Century CE

3) Persian Catalogue Sequence Number 403

Contents

Summary of Contents: A brief treatise in Persian on traditional astronomy, including an introduction, two articles, and a conclusion, as follows: an introduction to outline what should already be known before beginning in this science, in two sections, the first being about what relates to geometry, and the second being about what relates to natural sciences. The first article describes heavenly bodies (ajrām-i ʿuluvī) in six chapters. The second article describes Earth's astronomy, Ūbāqālīm part, and anything else required, in 11 chapters. The conclusion is about how to recognise dimensions and bodies in observation.
ff. 19b-64b
Language(s): Persian

Astronomy

Incipit: بسمله، الحمدلله رب العالمین حمد الشاکرین والصلوة علی خیر خلقه محمد و آله اما بعد این کتاب مشتملست بر مقدمه و دو مقاله مقدمه در بیان آنچه پیش از شروع درین علم دانستنیست و آن دو قسم است. قسم اول در آنچه…
Explicit: … و اهل شرع از اول شبست تا اول شب دیگر و نزد بعضی دگر از اول روز تا اول روز دگر و برین دو اصطلاح…||

References

Sequence Number in the Persian Catalogue:

  • FAW 403

Similar Copies in Other Libraries:

  • MAJ 10/330
  • MAL 6/209
  • UTL 4/889

Similar Copies listed in Other Catalogues:

  • DEN 7/833
  • KAS 1/900

On the Web:

Physical Description

Support: Western paper (watermark), blue, thick, one size. Water damage on the edges of some papers.
Dimensions (leaf): 22 × 17.5 cm.
Dimensions (written): 13.5 × 9 cm.

Collation

ff. 19b-64b

Layout

18 lines per page

Hand(s)

Nastaʿaliq, regular, one hand.

Decoration

Rubricated titles.

History

Origin: Unknown place of origin; 12th Century AH; 18th Century CE

Additional Information

Record Sources

This record was created by Dr Mohammad Emami based on the information published in the Persian catalogue by Dr Ali Mir-Ansari (Catalogue of the Persian and Arabic Manuscripts in the Ferdowsi Library, Wadham College, University of Oxford (Minasian Collection), Tehran: Miras-e Maktoob, 2016).

Availability

Entry to the Library is permitted upon presentation of a valid university ID card (for admissions procedures, please visit Wadham College Library, Persian Studies Section). Please Contact persian.library@wadham.ox.ac.uk for further information on the availability of this manuscript.

Funding of Cataloguing

Wadham College (University of Oxford)

Key to Abbreviations

  • ALZ: (الذریعه)
  • DEN: (فهرستواره دست‌نوشته‌های ایران - دنا)
  • FAW: (Ferdowsi Library, Wadham College, University of Oxford - Minasian Collection)
  • KAS: (کشف‌الظنون عن اسامی الکتب والفنون)
  • MAJ: (Library, Museum and Documentation Center of the Islamic Consultative Assembly)
  • MAL: (Malek National Museum and Library)
  • MNL: (Mar'ashi Najafi Library)
  • UTL: (Central Library of University of Tehran)

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